Clan Chief Chimezie Kingsley (Ebubemba) has redeemed the prize money for his N4 Million 2019 Uzoagba football tournament.
Chimezie, an international business man based in Australia is an illustrious son of Uzoagba in Ikeduru LGA and well known philanthropist who has embarked on many developmental projects in Uzoagba, Ikeduru and beyond. His charity activities are championed through Dekings Charity foundation.
Some of the developmental projects singlehandedly embarked upon by Ebubemba include, construction of roads, donation of football trophy, youth empowerment, sending some youths abroad, donation and installation of transformers, among others.
Speaking about the football trophy and other philanthropic programmes, Chief Chimezie Kingsley made it clear that positively impacting lives has been his passion in life. He disclosed his prayer/covenant with God to make him a blessing to others, rather than blessing him.
He disclosed that he donated four million Naira for the trophy, though he spent far more than that to package an international standard tournament, where all participants benefited.
Some items which gulped money included; printing of Jerseys for all participating teams/villages and the officials, providing trophies for different categories of winners such as; best player, best goalkeeper, highest goal scorer, best behaved team, with medals for the players of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place villages which he said were all produced in Australia.
He made it clear that the medals and individual trophies were for keeps by the winners while the winner’s trophy; for first position, first runners-up and second runners-up were redeemed from the winners for subsequent tournaments as he promised that the competition will continue on yearly bases.
Prizes redeemed went as follows; winners N500,000, 1st rounders-up N300,000, 2nd runner-up N200,000, 4th place finishers, N50,000, teams that exited at the second round, N40,000, all participated teams N30,000, best player of the tournament, N40,000, best goalkeeper; N40,000, highest goal scorer; N40,000, best behaved team, N40,000, among others.
According to the donor, the main purpose of donating the tournament was not for the cash prizes, but to discover talents who could be sponsored to play football professionally and become assets to their people and society at large.
He also disclosed his plan to float a football club to be known as Dekings football club to harness the abundant football talents in Imo State and the entire country.
Adding her voice, wife of the donor, Lolo Maureen Kingsley said she has always supported her husband in his philanthropic gesture because of her conviction that it is the best way to go.
She said her husband takes pleasure in putting smiles in the faces of people, a nature she said she shares with him.
Also adding his voice, Chairman of the officials (organizers of the tournament), Nwachukwu Emeka Anthony appreciated the donor for sponsoring an international standard tournament where all participants benefited. He thanked God for a successful tournament
